Career management strategy is an essential aspect of every executive’s personal development. In the early days of our careers, we focus our training and education to develop a functional specialty: We study to be accountants, researchers, engineers. The Olin Executive MBA develops cross-functional thinking and a general management perspective. Our graduates are equipped to solve multidimensional problems at the level of the enterprise, outside the functional silos. With these new skills come expanded career possibilities and the need to manage one’s career consciously and strategically.
At Olin, we help our executive students develop the self awareness and the skill set to navigate career paths within their organizations. Often, an Executive MBA student will discover a strength that leads in a new direction – for example, a physician who discovers a talent for finance and moves from patient care to negotiation of hospital expansion opportunities. The top leaders in organizations that support the Executive MBA frequently report that their sponsored employees are weighing in on different subjects, asking different questions and seeking out mentors in areas outside their previous specialties. Olin’s goal is to assist executives in making career choices that maximize their contributions to their organizations, enable them to apply their newly-acquired business acumen and realize their personal goals.
Starting just after admission, long before the first day of class, students undergo a series of self-assessments to determine their strengths and define their leadership styles. Students create personal development plans that shape their career strategies and identify areas for growth. In addition to assessment, Olin’s personal development process includes:
- One-on-one coaching concerning professional and leadership development.
- Peer assessment and feedback on team and leadership skills.
- Optional skill-building workshops.
- Course material on leadership, influence, negotiation, cross-cultural management, and team development.
How often do we take time to reflect on our professional accomplishments, our strengths, our goals, our passions and our values? The Executive MBA curriculum structures in opportunities for individual reflection, directed by faculty and deepened by peer feedback. The personal development plan created in the early days of the program is revisited, evaluated and honed during these reflective breaks, with access to professional coaching if needed.
Strategic networking is an essential component of career advancement for all executives, whether they are actively exploring new opportunities or building influence in their organizations and communities. The Olin network is unsurpassed. Your connections will grow from Executive MBA classmates out to more than 15,000 Olin alumni worldwide, including the graduates of our EMBA Shanghai program. Add to that the richness of the Washington University environment with its potential for connections across disciplines, and you have the career advancement network of a lifetime.
Many executive students report a promotion while they are in the program. Some report a transformation. The Olin Executive MBA provides skills, methods, assessment, support and connections that lead down surprising pathways. One student commented halfway through the program, “I’ve learned so much already that I don’t even know the person I’m going to be when I graduate.” Another said, “I feel that I’m becoming my true self.” Knowing that we can transform ourselves encourages us to develop others, which in turn creates momentum in our organizations.